Farming with Beneficial Insects For Pest Control

Science-based pest management strategies to integrate beneficial insects back into crops, orchards and gardens for natural pest control.

Learn science-based pest management strategies to integrate beneficial insects back into crops, orchards, and gardens for natural pest control. Find out how to support these insects that provide pest control, how common farm and garden practices can impact beneficial insects, and how to assess and create farm habitat for beneficial insects. Registration includes Xerces Society book, Farming with Beneficial Insects, habitat assessment guides, and other relevant USDA-NRCS and extension publications.

Skills & Objectives

• The importance of beneficial insects — predators and parasitoids that attack insect pests.
• Overview of ‘conservation biological control’ and integrated pest management (IPM).
• Become familiar with the most common beneficial insect groups.
• How to recognize the habitat needs of beneficial insects and identify habitat deficiencies.
• Planning for habitat improvements — site prep, insectary plantings, hedgerows, beetle banks…
• Best management practices to minimize potential negative impacts of farm practices on predators, parasitoids, and pollinators.
• USDA conservation programs — technical and financial assistance to enhance diversity on farms.

Instructor Bio

Thelma Heidel-Baker is a beneficial insect conservation expert for the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation and is dedicated to finding ways to bring pollinators and other beneficial insects back to the farming landscape. She has extensive research experience in biological control and integrated pest management (IPM) in agricultural cropping systems and entomology degrees from the University of Wisconsin-Madison (B.S) and University of Minnesota (Ph.D). She actively incorporates insect conservation practices into her family’s pasture-based dairy farm in Sheboygan County, WI.

Location & Logistics

The Stone House at Silverwood Park. Silverwood Park is located in southeast Dane County in the town of Albion, approximately 3 miles east of I-90 Exit #160 on Highway 106. The address is 771 Silver Lane; Edgerton, WI 53534.

Please bring a sack lunch and refillable beverage container. Please carry in shoes to wear indoors to protect the wooden floors this recently restored historic building. Coffee/tea and snacks provided.